


The Charms-project

by Craftswoman



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Asexual Character, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Harry Potter, Boys Kissing, Coming Out, First Kiss, Gay Character, Gay Draco Malfoy, Getting Together, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Hogwarts Inter-House Unity, Lesbian Character, Multi, Not Epilogue Compliant, POV First Person, POV Harry, Party Games, Spin the Bottle, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-01 11:04:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20814083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Craftswoman/pseuds/Craftswoman
Summary: A very heated debate in the 8th years common room about "Not assuming anyone's sexuality" combined with a group-project in Charms. The result:"It's a Coming Out-shirt," Seamus crowed and waved the t-shirt over his head.Hermione thought it was brilliant, I wasn't so sure.





	The Charms-project

Of course, it was Millie bloody Bulstrode who ruined a perfectly fine game of Spin the Bottle, held in the best spirit of House-unity, by shouting, "I'm not kissing any fucking boy!" and thus got everyone thinking and debating… alternative sexual preferences.

I was quite content where I was, wedged in between Ron and Luna, who always seemed to find her way into the 8th years common room. My head was buzzing pleasently of the Fire-whiskey we'd all been handed, "To get everyone relaxed and to smooth out the awkwardness," as Seamus said.

I had kissed Susan Bones, which was very nice, she's a very pretty girl, and Parvati, which was a bit tense and lasted no more than a second. I don't think she likes me very much, not since that Yule-ball where, let's face it, Ron and I behaved like dicks. I was sitting there, looking over the circle of participants, and wondering what would happen if my bottle stopped at a boy, and if I got to kiss him then, and how that would feel, and who it would be, when Bulstrode's spun landed on Michael Corner, who's one of the most handsome blokes in our year, and stormed off in a fit.

Then it developed into a rather heated debate on "One should never assume anyone's sexuality," and "How, in Merlin's name, were we supposed to know?" and the game ended for that evening. I didn't want to get involved, so I got up and went to bed.

I'm not the most experienced guy. I'm not saying I'm a blushing virgin, but I've only kissed a handful of girls and had full on sex with one; Ginny. We fell into each other's arms after the war, bruised and battered. It was a bliss. She was fierce and warm, and very much alive. We made love like mad that summer, but somehow we concluded that we should remain just friends and ended our relationship a few weeks before we all returned to Hogwarts to complete our education and take our NEWT exams. After that, my hero-status got in the way of anyone trying and I was afraid to ask anyone out, afraid that they would say yes for the wrong reasons.

This had given me plenty of time to think and to watch. And to wank behind severly shut and silenced bed-curtains to, shall we say, experimental images. But I had no desire to get into an argument about it, not with Hermione in the room.

Then there was the Charms-project, where Flitwick divided us into groups of three and encouraged us to "Create a useful Charm on an ordinary everyday object."

I was paired up with Padma, (tough luck) and Neville, and we started on something as silly as getting sunshine out of an umbrella, (not my idea).

Three weeks later, a Saturday evening, when everyone was gathered in the common room, Seamus stood up and called on everyone's attention. He and his Charms-team members, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Blaise Zabini, had come up with this great idea and they wanted to test it before they presented it in the class next week.

"It's something really useful," Seamus said. "Something we've all been needing in our social activities."

"Something that makes it easier to ask people out on dates, without the risk of making a fool of oneself," Justin added.

"And we need some volunteers," Zabini grinned and held up a perfectly normal white t-shirt.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, curious as always.

"It's a 'Coming Out-shirt'," Seamus crowed and waved another over his head. "We got a whole box, charmed and ready, for everyone who wants them."

Hermione frowned. "How does it work, then?"

"Easy, you just put it on and then it reveals your sexuality on the chest," Zabini explained. "It's a similar Charm as the one on the Sorting Hat, really. Look." He pulled on the t-shirt and letters forming the word **STRAIGHT **appeared on the white front. "Isn't it great?"

Justin also pulled one over his head. "Everyone; my 'Coming Out-shirt'!" He smiled widely as the word **GAY **spelled out on his. "So, now you all know," he added with a cocky jerk with the head.

Cheers and handclaps were heard. "Anyone else wanna try?" Seamus called out.

"Hell yes," Bulstrode answered and made her way through the crowd. She strained a bit with the shirt as it was a little too small for her bulky figure, but she gave a wide and genuine smile as the word **LESBIAN **could be read on her imposing bosom. More cheers and clapping, and my fellow students crowded in to get one of their own.

Hermione clapped her hands together. "Oh, this is such a brilliant idea, isn't it? Come on, let's get ours." She grabbed Ron's hand and me by the arm and pushed us forward. Brilliant, my arse. What was I supposed to do? If I refused it would look suspicious and if I pulled it on, who knew what it would reveal. STRAIGHT didn't feel quite right anymore, but how would it know? I'd never done anything but with a girl, so if the shirt sensed that, it would send out the wrong signal, wouldn't it? And if it said GAY? Well, that would make it very difficult to ask a girl out.

I felt a sweat brake as I clutched the t-shirt in my hand and watched Ron and Hermione with the words **STRAIGHT **boldly written all over them. Well, no surprises there, I suppose.

"What's the matter, mate?" Ron gave me a look, as I agonized. "Aren't you going to put it on?"

"You don't _have _to, Harry." Hermione's voice became concerned, and if I may, a little patronizing. "No one is forcing you to reveal anything you're not ready for." Some friend, huh? Must she always know absolutely everything?

Ron gave her a questioning look and then he put a hand on my shoulder. I drew a steadying breath and pulled the blasted shirt on and closed my eyes, afraid to look. When I peeked, it was only two letters. Was that even a word?

**BI**.

As in Bisexual? Meaning its okay to like both?

I suddenly felt a great relief. This was me; I could live with this. This opened for more options and opportunities, right?

I gave my friends a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of my neck. "Well…"

"Oh, Harry, that's wonderful." Hermione gave me a hug. "We know there's been something on your mind for some time now. Isn't this better, to have it all out in the open?"

I still wasn't so sure about that. I caught Seamus' eyes across the room. He gave me thumbs up when I saw the same two letters on his chest.

Ron patted me, rather hard, on the back. "Seems I've shared a dorm with a bunch of queers all these years," he grinned. "Well, what do you know?"

Luna came skipping towards us with a wide smile. "Look what I got," she chriped. On hers it said **ACE**.

"What does it mean?" I looked at her beaming face.

"It means I'm asexual."

"And what does _that _mean?" Ron muttered.

"It means that I'm not into sex at all, but it's perfectly all right for me to have a romantic relationship. Kissing and cuddling and such."

"But no sex?" Ron still looked very sceptical. Luna nodded. He shook his head. I thought it felt exactly like Luna, though.

Among the group of Ravenclaws she just left there was a bit of stirring and our attention was drawn. When we joined them Terry Boot had a shirt on with the word **TRANS**.

Very red in the face he said, "I wasn't going to tell anyone yet. I wanted to take my NEWT's without any fuss and start the treatment right after our graduation. There's a special ward at St Mungo's that do magical gender-alterations. But I guess you all know now. I'm Teresa." With a deep sigh she added, "And I'm very much into boys, if anyone would have me."

We all hugged her and assured her that we were perfectly all right with it. The Ravenclaw-girls welcomed her to their dorm and planned her move right away.

Over the bustle in the room a voice suddenly carried. "Just put the damned shirt on, Draco. We all know you're bent, anyway."

Draco sodding Malfoy.

Draco bloody-arch-nemesis-turned-civil-acting-sort-of-friend Malfoy.

Draco fucking-gorgeous-secret-fabulous-wank-material Malfoy.

I turned my head and saw him standing in the corner of the room with his Slytherin friends, all wearing **STRAIGHT **on their shirts, Zabini, Parkinson and Goyle. They were forcing the item on him, but Malfoy gave a haughty snarky laugh and threw it in Zabini's face and took off up the stairs to the dorms.

I never think, that's my main flaw, I suppose. I should've, at more than one time in my life, and certainly now. Instead, I dashed after him.

Why?

How the hell should I know? I didn't think, I just acted.

With a pounding heart and slightly out of breath I stopped at the door to his dorm-room. I gave it a knock and felt the handle. It wasn't locked.

He was sitting in a chair by the desk, looking out of the window. The room was dark, only a faint light came in from a moon that wasn't quite full yet, but almost. It reflected in the rippling waters of the Dark Lake below.

He didn't turn his head when he said. "Sometimes I miss the dungeons and the strange green light that came from the water-covered windows in our old dorm. Don't you?"

I cleared my throat. "Since I only saw it once in second year, I can't say I miss it that much," I said.

He whipped around. I thought you were Pansy or maybe Theo."

We stared in silence at each other, until he turned back to the window again. "What are you doing here, Potter?"

What was I doing here, with him? I had no idea.

"Did you come here to gloat? "Well, now you've had your little fun." He wiped the back of his hand under his nose.

"You ran off," I deadpanned.

"And?"

"You wanna talk?"

He looked at me again. "With you? Why would I want that?" His nose wrinkled a little at the base from the sneer. 

I walked a bit closer to where he sat. "Because of the shirt thing," I said and pointed a the two-letter word on my chest.

"Yes," he said, and I could hear his voice crumble. "The-Boy-Who-Got-Everything-Right."

I took the shirt off and straightened the Gryffindor-red I was wearing underneath. "It's not what you think," I sighed. "I've never even kissed a boy." I summoned one of the other chairs and sat down beside him.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The shirt knew you'd like to anyway?"

I shrugged. "I guess. I sure would like to try sometimes."

He looked down on his hands and stains of pink flushed his cheekbones. "I thought mine would come out all blank since I haven't… ever…"

"Kissed a boy?"

"Anyone," he breathed. "But, yes, I preferred if it'd been a boy."

"You've never dated?" I studied him. He had a small mole on his upper lip I've never seen before. "I always thought you and Parkinson..."

He shook his head. "She's my friend since we were children, like a sister. And dating," he gave a humourless snorting laugh, "I guess we could say that my mind's been occupied with other things these last couple of years."

I laughed too. "I think I know what you mean." The moon had risen slightly higher in the sky and it shone on his head, giving his hair an ethereal glow. Merlin, he was beautiful.

I made an effort to calm my rapidly beating heart and tried to be cautious where I treaded. This was treacherous waters I was out on. This was, after all, Draco Malfoy, not so long ago my opposite in all things, someone I'd fought with, duelled with, rivalled with in absolutely everything. For as long as I've been at Hogwarts, he's been constantly on my mind, one way or another. I didn't know until now that this was what I wanted.

I reached out and took his hand. He flinched but let his stay in mine. His hand felt warm, strong and a little callused from Quidditch.

My throat clenched but I pressed out, "Would you mind very much if I tried it with you?"

The silence stretched out in what felt like eons, but he kept his hand in mine and his gaze was steady.

"I'm a Death Eater," he said with a thin voice.

"You were forced. You were cleared at the trials." I laughed, a little uncertain. "I know, I was there, remember?"

"You saved me."

"We saved each other." I moved in closer. "Maybe it's time for us to move on, take the next step."

I held my breath.

"You think this is the next step?" He sounded a bit out of breath too. His face was very close now. I could see flecks of silver in his grey eyes.

"I think it's inevitable."

"You do?"

"Absolutely."

"I'm still such a bloody coward, aren't I?"

"Do something brave, then. You could kiss me."

"Well, then," he sighed and leaned in just an inch closer and his lips met mine.

We kissed, tentative at first, but we both deepened the kiss soon enough. My heart made somersaults in my chest when his tongue slid into my mouth and started exploring. He tasted of something chocolaty and a whiff of mint, and his hair felt just as silky as I'd imagined it would as I ran my fingers through it.

I could hear someone making a desperate whimpering sound, and, bloody hell, I think it was me.

How did I end up in his knee? I tugged at his Slytherin tie and his crisp white shirt to get to his bare skin and he clawed equally fiercely at the nape of my neck, in my hair, and then his fingers were digging into the flesh of my buttocks, pressing our pelvises together. It felt like, finally. FINALLY! That's when the door flung open and Blaise Zabini stepped in.

"Salazar's hairy balls!"

I'd forgot to lock the door.

"Pansy insisted I came up to apologize." There was some amusement in Zabini's voice. "She claimed that you were hurt and insulted, and that I shouldn't have pressed you the way I did."

We had stopped kissing but sat still with our foreheads resting against each other, panting heavily.

"It seems I don't need your fucking t-shirt," Malfoy said. I love it when he swears, the crude words in that posh accent of his. It's hot.

I guess that's how I got myself a boyfriend. He's a snarky self-indulgent pain in the arse and I'm totally crazy about him. It feels as if I can make it my lifelong mission to piss him off on a regular basis. So much for options and opportunities. Not that I mind. We're very happy together.

The next time we played a game of Spin the Bottle we all participated. I let my gaze slide over our circle of friends, all smiling happy faces, united for real in understanding oneanother. In the middle there were two bottles to spin, charmed by Hermione to land on either a boy or a girl, according to your choice, and whomever it landed on had the right to say no with no hard feelings.

It got awkward sometimes even with that, but I suppose that's the whole point of the game. As the time when Michael's spin landed on a blushing Hermione, Ron didn't like that one bit, or when Seamus got to kiss Justin, which was just ridiculous since they're good friends and not at all attracted to oneanother. Then Luna was peppering everyone with kisses without even spinning, because, "I'm a very affectionate person and you're all such wonderful people." It got interesting, though, when Theo Nott played and kissed Teresa Boot, hot and eagerly, rendering her shy and breathless. Draco assures me that he's an okay bloke once you get passed that prickly quietness of his. I hope so, she looked so smitten.

When Draco's bottle landed on me everyone booed and shouted. I didn't care. I met him enthusiastically in the middle, where our lips clashed. I fisted my hands in his hair and pulled him closer, deeper, and ignored the catcalls and the shouting of, "Get out of here! Get a room, for Merlin's sake!"

It felt fantastic.

Oh, did I mention that Seamus, Blaise and Justin got top remarks on their Charms-Project. Professor Flitwick even put on a t-shirt, over his robes and all. What it spelled out? Well, it certainly earned him applause from the whole class.

**Author's Note:**

> This Fic was initially inspired by Through the Looking Glass and What Draco Found There by magpie_fngrl  
I'm a huge fan of all your works. ❤❤❤


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